Markwa

Silly question. We're used to strong sticky luggage tags. We're flying in and I'm curious how/when you staple printed paper luggage tags on your bags. Obviously people don't bring a stapler to do this right before they get on and you can't fly with them on the bags.

I laminated mine at work, punch a hole in the top and use string or cable tie.

Seen to many fall off in the rain

Cheers

Mark

Thank you so much. I feel better and will keep our room. I could tell she had never been on the Epic and didn't have a clue about the "wave"pattern.

Yep, Bump near the Balcony means Bed near the balcony. Had the same issues.

Enjoy

Hi all -

 

We are less than six months out from our Western Med cruise on the Epic. I am the unofficial "Julie McCoy" for the vacation ... MIL & BIL joining us.

 

Our most talked about port is Civitavecchia, which is the gateway to a Rome excursion. I checked the NCL site for your cruise and I don't see any excursions offered. I expect they will open up in a few months.

 

Regardless, I am now trying to research one-day excursions for Rome ... like time, itinerary, price, etc. I checked the "destinations" part of CC and I was led to a bunch of individual reviews with scant info.

 

So, my post to this board is whether anyone is willing to share their experience with the NCL Rome excursion, as well as, experiences with private tours. Any recommends would be helpful.

 

Many thanks!

Hello, i am on the March cruise and a lady called REDBARB has arranged a trip for us. If you go to rollcall for the EPIC 16th March and read the posts there is a website link that may assist you.

Seriously doubt it. I challenged them on this and they insist all Promo and Choice are for cruises UP TO 16 days in length.

 

Historically, any bev promo has always been excluded on the longer cruises, e.g., Transatlantics and Panama Canal transits.

Surprised, Is this another new policy???

Booked on EPIC ,march next yeat and have freestyle, UBP and UDP

Cheers

Does anyone know what premium sipping whiskey is included in the UDP? We normally drink Bastille ....

Read a post about a week ago regarding this exact subject. Gentleman said that Johnny Walker blue was $17 (would cost you $6 + tip).

But he drank Johnny walker gold , Johnny walker platinum, Glenfiddich all included in the package. Mentioned there were many more so you should be covered for good sipping whiskies.

Cheers

My newly-anointed PCC has been calling me every afternoon (while I'm at work, naturally). You could set your watch by him.

 

When I ignore the call, he sends me an email saying that he's sorry he missed me, but he has great news! NCL is running some fabulous exclusive promotions and he'd love to tell me about them!

 

This is the fourth person that has assumed this role in as many years. They're here today, gone tomorrow—so I haven't tried to actually get too emotionally attached to any of them.

 

I do a lot of homework before I book a cruise. I frequent CruiseCritic, know NCL's itineraries and their current promotions, and research the heck out of the cruise before I book anything.

 

For someone like me, is there any advantage of booking with a PCC rather than going via the website? Can they get me better pricing or OBC?

 

The cynic in me thinks this is just someone looking for a commission. Any thoughts from other obsessive cruise researchers out there?

I just had my cruise cancelled and had to move to a later cruise. If it wasn't for my PCC I would still be on hold to the department handling these issues.

He arranged the change, then he was able to get one of my preferred cabins .

If you get a good one, believe me they are worth gold

We were doing a BtoB with different stops and just informed B&B will have same itinerary. We are very disappointed. Have airfare , hotels booked. We don't want to do the same cruise twice and if we cancel one we will have to change all. Our reservations. It will cost us money since we are travelling from Canada. Any suggestions how we approach NCL. They are offering $50 room credit....this is not fair . If we cancel everything it's going to cost us a lot of money. Any advice for us?

Hello, Have just been through you problem, I was on the same cruise as you.

This is what I ended up doing. I told NCL I can only change to the 6th March - this cruise is 22 days instead of 21 but didn't care.

They pay up to $300 for airfare changes, and yes I agree $50 is not much.

The good is they moved us and all we had to pay is 18 taxes for the extra day.

Wish you luck

When you select a price protected option for an NCL cancelled cruise, does that include price protection for the DSC charges?

 

My belief is that if you booked prior to July 31, the lower (pre-increased) rate of $12.50 per person per day for the DSC was in in effect if paid by final deposit date (versus paying for DSC on board). However, many of us now have re-booked our cruises in August, after the July 31 date listed for the lower DSC booking date.

 

Do we still get the lower DSC rate?

Hello Tulch,

seems like the thread has gone off track. I have just had my February cruise cancelled and was moved to March.

All entitlements followed UDP,UBP and lower gratuities. So nothing changed

First time on the Epic..

Looking forward to seeing Europe for the first time.

Not having to count the cost of drinks the day before (UBP supplied)

Going to all the specialty Restaurants (UBP supplied)

Meeting people

And celebrating out 25th Anniversary in style.

Who could ask for more

I have been reading ( and reading …. )(and reading ….) all of the negative rants/reviews/posts/threads/threats about the changes occurring at NCL over the past few months.

 

As some background, my partner and I are just slightly on the wrong side of 50 and have been lucky and fortunate enough in life to travel around a lot of the world on many different ships and many different lines over the past 20+ years. We have sailed on everything from inside cabins on Chandris Fantasy (look it up) up to and including Oceania, Celebrity Xpedition, Travel Dynamics, Ponant, Azamara and The Haven.

 

We used to be complete Celebrity addicts until about two years ago when after three cruises in a row that drove us slightly crazy, we decided that we would become “free agents”. This is, we wouldn’t be slaves to loyalty programs with their free drinks and internet and see what else was out there.

 

We returned to NCL last year and were hooked. However, in the past two years we have also sailed on HAL, RCI, Celebrity, Oceania and Azamara.

 

People … you have NO clue how good you have it on NCL and the spectacular value that is provided. To all those who say they are cancelling their reservations and going somewhere else, I say: “Off you go”!

 

Go on Royal Caribbean and go to the buffet where fried starchy food goes to die, where the varieties of fresh fruit can be counted on four fingers, where smoked salmon doesn’t swim, where roast “turkey” is a strange compressed protinaceous turkoid blob and have the privilege of paying a premium over NCL.

 

Go on Celebrity (where I’ve sailed about 250 nights) and return to the ship at 3:30 and try to get a decent snack without standing in a buffet line serviced by, oh, one server manning the pasta station and one person doing … well, I’m not sure what she was doing. Enjoy the evening “entertainment” and after you’ve woken up, go back to your cabin for a proper sleep.

 

Look at what you’re paying for what you’re getting. I paid $700 for an inside cabin on Celebrity’s Zenith in 1992 and couldn't understand how they could make ANY money providing what they did. That’s about $1400 in 2015 dollars for an inside cabin. Celebrity actually didn’t make any money and that’s why they were ultimately acquired by RCI. Could you imagine paying $1400 for an inside cabin today?! I’d be laughed and ridiculed off of these boards.

 

NCL is cutting back wherever they can … and so is everyone else. Trust me. I’ve been on everyone else and many of them recently. The same economic realities are faced by all of the cruise lines - it’s a fine line between keeping everyone happy while providing shareholder value.

 

Perhaps NCL made a fatal error in actually telling people that they were cutting back as opposed to Royal Caribbean/Celebrity where the on board product was noticeably worse each time you sailed on them without them actually announcing the cutbacks. (As an FYI, Celebrity cut back their entertainment staff to one or two people - trivia, hosts, ambassadors - all gone for the most part - again, look it up)(oh, and by the way, most of their specialty restaurants are now $50(!!!) per person cover charge.

 

Those brand spanking new ships cost a LOT of money and have to be paid for. While it’s fantastic they we’ve all been spoiled and have frankly received more than our dollar’s worth in the past, those days are over. My room at the Hilton before my last Breakaway cruise cost $330 a night with nothing included, or $2300 for the week before meals. What did you spend for the last dinner you went out for at home and how does that compare to per diem that you are paying for a night on a ship that included your room, meals and entertainment?

 

People have to be realistic … it truly is a privilege to have the means, ability and health to go on a cruise but ultimately, it’s still a business that has to make money.

Terrific summary. I always feel like responding to others that just bag the cruise lines but do not need the hassle that can come with that, so to read your plain and simple facts of life summary was great.

Myself I have booked a large Balcony (this is a treat for us) and I received the UBP, UDP and $75 OBC. The cost saving,s allow us to enjoy the cruise a bit more without having to count our pennies every day and could not do the same if not on a cruise package.

Great reading

Mark

And even with the promo, gratuities are not included (unless for some reason the UK promo is different). You will be charged for the 18% gratuity (about $68 ea) at final payment.

Forgot to add, mine was pre april (no service charge) you are spot on, the new free UDP does charge you gratuities - but still a great deal, me thinks

OP was asking about possibility to upgrade from Corks and Caps to UBP.

Wrong cruise line you are talking about. NCL has 1 drinks package. All drinks under $11 free. The few that are above $11 (any very few there are) you pay the difference. And yes gratuities are included in the package, no need to pay unless you want to tip extra

Cheers from one happy UDP holder

so good, thankyou for taking the time. Great photos and now really looking forward to my cruise

Probably need to check your 1.3 conversion rate.

It is actually around 1.22 which will make a big difference on the final comparisons.

Easy way, do a Google search for eg: Norwegian epic deck plans. Results will show a cruise critic link. Here you will get deck plans with cabins in different colours. Along side will be the explanation of each cabin type with there respective code eg: B6

There may be another way of getting there but this is how I do it.

Hope it helps

Have to agree. NCL PCC was terrific once I called regarding price drop. He changed the paperwork immediately and also passed on the extras included with the price drop.

Prices on my cruise have just gone down again and am waiting a reply to see if I am eligible for this one

Well folks, Ill make you all feel good.

316 days till I sail the Mediterranean.

By then I would have read all your cruise reviews and be jealous as hell :D

Have fun all

201 days will fly buy, according to my NCL iConcierge app I have 317 days 6 hours 42 minutes an 12 seconds, oops make that 10 seconds ha-ha.

Have a great time

Only for exceptional service, I believe good service is covered in the 18%.

During our xmas cruise we had a server that noticed we missed our meal the night they had an incredible Crème Brule for desert. Not only did he arrange a couple of the desserts for the next night, but when we could not get seated in his section, he somehow found us and made sure we were served our special deserts. now that is exceptional, and yes ,he did receive and extra tip.

definatley following